Peer Network on International Giving
December 8, 2006 - The Peer Network on International Giving hosted a peer exchange for participants to share information about their grantmaking activities and to review the Chicago's International Funders resource guide from the Donors Forum. The group also planned activities for the coming year. The discussion was facilitated by Amina Dickerson, Kraft Foods, Inc., and Celene Peurye, The Baxter International Foundation.

During the peer exchange, participants mentioned the following highlights, concerns, and issues:

• Many funders are increasing the amount of money they are allocating to international giving (gifts to either non-U.S. organizations or gifts to U.S. organizations that are to be spent on international activities), and the general trend in the philanthropic sector is toward increasing international giving. This means there could be more opportunities between foundations working in similar regions and interest areas, but it will also mean that foundations may have to learn about the regulations and local customs of an increasing number of countries.
• Experience is useful, and shared experience can help funders avoid mistakes made by their predecessors. There are several resources available to organizations just entering international philanthropy or organizations providing funding to new regions. These include:
  • The United States International Grantmaking website, which includes information on the basics of international grantmaking, detailed information on several countries, and many other articles and links.
  • Worldwide Initiatives for Grantmaker Support (WINGS), an organization that connects grantmaker associations and support organizations from across the world. These organizations can be useful contacts for funders making grants in new geographic areas.
  • The Council on Foundations has many useful publications, including a recent guide on making grants in the wake of a disaster.
  • The Foundation Center reports on trends in international giving, along with many other data sets and articles.
• Dealing with language and cultural issues is a continual concern. Even in English-speaking countries, the ways words are employed may differ from U.S. usage, meaning some terms do not always translate well. Also, programs often have to be adapted to fit the culture of a nation-a program that was successful in one country is not guaranteed to work in another.
  The participants then reviewed the Chicago's International Funders resource guide from the Donors Forum. The document is intended to be a living work, one that can continually be updated to reflect changes in funders and their programs. Participants suggested the following additions and changes to the guide:
  • Add information on specific countries targeted for grants. This could mean collecting information on countries receiving funds in the past three to five years, since those countries can change from year to year.
  • Include information on the nature of donations made to particular nations (i.e., cash donations, volunteer efforts, and/or in-kind contributions).
  • Add information about funders not included in the first round of surveys, including funders who recently started making international grants.
  • Add information on the total value of international grants and international gifts as a percent of total giving for each funder.
  • Include information on other resources available to international grantmakers.
  • Provide information on Chicago-area contacts who have knowledge and experience in international giving (e.g., a local group organized around making donations to Kenya).
  • Include web addresses for funders.
  • Provide answers to frequently asked questions, including definitions of terms used in the guide.
  • For corporate funders, add information on each funder's main area of business.
  • If possible, keep the guide current and allow funders to update it by submitting information about recently made grants.

Participants concluded the session by planning activities for the coming year. Among the ideas discussed were:

• A session to provide an overview and update on the essentials of international grantmaking, including topics such as conducting due diligence and complying with existing laws. This session will most likely be held in early March.
• A session or two to discuss issues related to disaster response and disaster preparedness. This could include a discussion with representatives from disaster-response organizations, and one of the sessions could be conducted as part of the Chicago Global Donors Network conference in September.
• Smaller sessions to discuss particular geographic areas of interest; for example, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation could share what they have learned through their grantmaking efforts in Russia.
• A more informal get-together for funders to share ideas and experiences in a casual setting.
  

Spring Seminar
May 4, 2005 - The Peer Network on International Giving offered a day-long seminar for Members to learn about trends in international giving. Read the full program summary (pdf).

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